Innocence
by The Dead Fish
Summary: *Pirates of the Caribbean quote Challenge* Someone knew Hagrid was innocent... but he told the wrong person.


So this was it… he couldn't risk opening the Chamber of Secrets again, not now. Lucky enough that fool Hagrid had been there to take the blame, but killing not but one single mudblood was probably not exactly what Slytherin had had in mind when he built the chamber. Tom couldn't help feeling slightly mad at himself, but the most important thing was that the school remained open. He'd just have to do the same thing as Slytherin himself, find a way someone could follow in his footsteps when he had left school… or-

"Tom… I have to tell you something." Tom Riddle glared at the boy who'd just interrupted his train of thought. He knew him; it was the useless little brother of almost as useless Rodolphus Lestrange, Antonius. The younger boy flinched at Tom's glare so Tom quickly made a friendlier face; right now, anything could be important.

"What is it, Anthony?"

"It's about Hagrid being expelled." Oh. This _could _be important.

"What's wrong with it? That Gryffindor moron doesn't deserve any better", Tom answered seemingly carelessly.

"I know, but…" Antonius lowered his voice. "It's because they think he's responsible for the attacks, isn't it?"

These were almost heretical tendencies. On the other hand, the boy didn't know who had turned Hagrid in, so he couldn't really be said to be doubting Tom's judgement, and Tom decided to forgive him… for now.

"Yes, I suppose", Tom said quietly, faking a worried expression.

"But… I think he isn't", Antonius whispered almost inaudibly. "Lately, I saw him with that box of him. I stayed there until he left it for a minute, and then looked in. There was a spider in it, Tom – nothing that could petrify anyone, or kill them like that! It's… I know he's just a Gryffindor, but it's not fair."

Tom sat quietly for a moment. It didn't surprise him that Antonius had told him instead of his older brother or anyone – the younger Slytherins practically worshipped him. But this was bad news, indeed – this little idiot was capable of running to the headmaster and start all the problems again. Completely uselessly, too, as Tom knew. No, they had a culprit, Tom had brought him, and that should better remain like that.

"Are you sure?" he asked rhetorically – he already had his plan, and the little one wouldn't have dared to come to him if he wasn't sure – and Antonius nodded seriously.

"Then we'd better do something about it, wouldn't we? Come on." He took the boy's hand, and carefully checking that no one was looking in their direction, he left the common room dragging him along.

"What are we doing?" Antonius, who had difficulties keeping pace with the taller boy, panted.

"Find the spider, of course. That would prove Hagrid innocent", Tom answered convincingly. "Now, where do you think a spider that size would go?" The next moment he could have slapped himself – Antonius hadn't mentioned the size of the spider – but the younger boy didn't notice; he was all busy to answer Tom's question, no doubt hoping to impress him.

"The forest?" he finally tried insecurely.

"Exactly", Tom said and smiled at Antonius, which made Antonius smile, too. The smile faded as they left the castle and approached the forest – it wasn't easy to get there unnoticed, although the extra security measures had already been given up, but Tom had practiced enough. It was evening, and the Forbidden Forest looked everything but inviting.

"Are we going in there?" Antonius said with a slight tremble in his voice.

"Well, the spider is not going to come out, is it?" Tom answered cheerfully… though he thought he probably could have made it come. "Come on now, you're not scared, are you?" He took Antonius' hand again and led him into the forest. Antonius didn't protest.

After a while – they were now surrounded by darkness and had both lighted their wands – Tom said casually: "We'd better separate. That will double our chances to find it." Antonius stared at him, pale-faced, and for a moment Tom was sure he would refuse. That wouldn't be an actual problem – not here, so far from the castle – but it might make things a little uglier.

But then Antonius plucked up his courage, determined to prove he was just as brave as Tom, and said, completely unsuccessfully trying to imitate Tom's tone: "Yes, okay, you're right", but he didn't move.

"Go ahead, don't be afraid", Tom said. "If there's any kind of trouble you can always call for me, and I'll come and help you out." "Right", Antonius said, facing the trees.

He took a few steps away from Tom, then turned round and asked one last time: "This... is going to save Hagrid?"

"How much do you know about acromantulas?"

"Not much."

"Yeah, it's gonna save Hagrid." Tom watched the light at the tip of Antonius' wand disappear between the trees, then turned and walked back to the castle. This would be, alas, another tragic death, but this time completely explainable, and clearly unconnected to the previous attacks.

Tom allowed himself a silent smile when the lights of the castle showed up again before him.


End file.
